Pride in Tennis Cup delivers unforgettable weekend of sport and inclusion

To mark each Friday Pride Day in June, the LTA is shining a spotlight on LGBTQ+ Pride activities happening at clubs and venues across the country. This Friday Pride Day, we’re spotlighting the third annual Pride in Tennis Cup that took place at Oriam Tennis Centre in Edinburgh at the end of May, as LGBTQ+ tennis players and groups from across Britain came together for a celebration of inclusive sport.

After successful events in Nottingham and Newport in the past two years, more than 50 participants ranging in abilities from newcomers to tennis to seasoned competitors went north of the border to take to the courts, with eight teams from seven LGBTQ+ tennis groups taking part in the event organised by Pride in Tennis:

Players from across the country came together in Edinburgh for a celebration of inclusive sport (Credit: Laura Connelly/Northern Aces)

Teams took part in a round-robin group stage, before progressing to semi-finals and finals for both a main draw and a ‘Progress Draw’ ensuring everyone taking part had a chance to play throughout the whole tournament. The event was the most diverse Pride in Tennis Cup yet, and players truly came together to support each other right the way through the event.

Alongside the main competition, won by the South London Smashers, with the North London Lob-Sters finishing as runner-up and the Edinburgh Curveballs claiming the Progress Draw title, there were also individual awards celebrating individual contributions and allyship on the court - the Rally Allies competition:

For everyone who took part, the event represented an opportunity to be their true and authentic selves on court - something that is a key motivation not just for taking part in the Pride in Tennis Cup, but also for joining one of the many LGBTQ+ tennis groups that exist across Britain. Since being established in 2022, Pride in Tennis has worked to both help LGBTQ+ tennis groups get set up, but also to help established tennis clubs become more welcoming for those from LGBTQ+ communities.

Players had the chance to take part in both a main draw and a 'Progress draw' ensuring all players, no matter their level, could take part throughout the event. (Credit: Shannon Lavery/Weegie Whackers)

For one player who took part in this year’s competition, the importance of LGBTQ+ tennis groups is clear. Patrick Ba-Tin-Stevenson is a member of the Weegie Whackers, a group based on courts in Newlands Park in Glasgow. Having followed the sport on TV for a number of years, it was only two years ago that Patrick got into actually playing the sport.

“I'd been working from home for about a year and a half and been keeping fit by going to the gym and swimming. Both great ways, but it was the end of February and I'd realised through a combination of a dark and wet Glasgow winter and trying to save money, I hadn't actually spoken to anyone in person other than my then-fiancé (now husband) since New Years!

“I realised that was pretty unhealthy, so I looked to join some social sports teams - and eventually tried the Whackers. I’ve been a member for just about two years now, though for the first year I only came sporadically over the summer months”.

For Patrick, what started out as another way of keeping in shape and meeting new people has become something much more meaningful, both in tennis and social terms.

For Patrick (white shirt, centre), playing tennis with the Weegie Whackers has become more than something simply to be social or keep fit. (Credit: Shannon Lavery/Weegie Whackers)

“In the last year I've started to get really into playing rather than seeing it as just a social hit. The group is truly inclusive, which I think is quite a rare and wonderful thing and I've made some great friends through it.”

Having started playing tennis more regularly through the Weegie Whackers, Patrick jumped at the chance to get involved in the Pride in Tennis Cup.

“Playing in the Pride in Tennis Cup was a great experience. Playing as a team with a mix of competitiveness and friendliness really set up the tournament well for a beginner or first time player, and the atmosphere was… appropriately fun with enough to push more than a training session.”

Patrick’s experience of both the Weegie Whackers and the Pride in Tennis Cup is exactly what James Swanson, Chair of Pride in Tennis, wants people to take away from their time on court.

"The Pride in Tennis Cup demonstrates what’s possible when inclusion is built into the fabric of an event, rather than treated as an add-on," Swanson reflected.

"Each year, we’re seeing more players, more teams, and stronger engagement from across the LGBTQ+ tennis community, providing a visible example of what inclusive tennis can be at its best - competitive, welcoming, and accessible."

We would like to thank Pride in Tennis for their assistance in the production of this article.